Thursday, April 04, 2013

Spring Tip Toes In

I’m thump thump thumpin my hands on the steering wheel with Garth turned up loud. There’s a cool breeze keeping the daytime temperature in the seventies. The clouds in the sky are dark in patches surrounded with solid blue; feels more Midwest than south California. I pull the car into the Stater Bros. parking lot to purchase some Granny Smiths. Granted the cashier lacked fire in her eyes but a customer took my shopping cart back in from my car just on a whim. Its’ as if the wind blew the cares of people into the foothills and woke them to life.

The wife and I had French toast together. In the morning sun she noticed that the Purple Robe plant is showing bloom. Our neighbor Kathy is out watering her butterfly garden between shoppers at her two-week long vintage yard sale. If you’re in the market for a charcoal burning barbeque circa 1970 she’s still got three for sale.

Apple cobblers cooking in the oven and beer is chilling in the fridge. The neighborhood children ride by on bikes, trikes and a Big Wheel. Morning doves and sparrows prance around the front yard in search of seed and bug. Wildflowers (or weeds) burst into yellow bloom and the grasshoppers leap out of hiding. Yes that means the ants are out again too along with a bunch of other scary critters. We’ll cheer on the birds—and probably spray a poison barrier around the house.

April often sends a mixed message. Usually there’s a strong hint of Spring and a cold front or two that passes through. Consistent with the total lack of rain we’ve had this year it looks as if she’s marching straight for Summer. We’re hoping, like we hope every year, for a mild one. Today however is all about enjoying her tip-toe out of winter.